Page 85 of Witchbane

He looked at me and knew me well enough to see I was speaking the truth.

‘I’ve never thought about it that way before,’ he said half to himself.

‘I didn’t think you had.’ I saw the smoke from Mistress de la Mare’s chimney and began to run towards the cottage. ‘Now we’ve reached an understanding, I think we should do what we’re here for before your father sends out a search party.’

He laughed and ran to catch up with me, passing me easily in a few strides.

Chapter Forty-Three

THEO

Time dragged as Garnier and I hunkered down and waited for the coven to make an appearance. If they even came tonight. Part of me hoped I wasn’t wasting my time. Then again, I wasn’t looking forward to their arrival in case Rue and her family were among them.

As I sat on my coat, leaning against the gnarled trunk of an oak tree, I tried to imagine what might happen. Would I arrest Rue as I should already have done with the evidence I had on her? Or were my feelings for her still too deep, despite knowing she was everything I had grown up to loathe. Did I have it in me to lock her in a cell to be dealt with by my father? I had no idea.

What I did know was that, as the sky darkened and dusk came, my determination to see this plan through to the end was weakening.

Damn you, Rue, I thought, furious with her for being a witch and with myself for being foolish enough to fall for someone like her.

My father had brought me up to believe that if something seemed too perfect, it was usually a lie, or a trap. This was possibly both.

Had she bewitched me? I wondered for a second time. Possibly. I was usually a good judge of character, or so I had always believed. Maybe I was no different from the fools I looked down on who forgot everything at the sight of a pretty face and an impudent smile.

Garnier’s elbow nudged my ribs. ‘What?’ I asked, irritated with him for interrupting my thoughts.

He raised a finger and looked to his left. ‘Do you hear them?’

I listened, hearing only my own heartbeat, it was racing so fast. I was about to say no, then heard Sorrel’s unmistakable voice followed by Rue’s delightful laughter. She certainly isn’t being forced to come here, I told myself. She sounds far too happy for that.

I cursed under my breath, hating that my hopes not to witness the women from Thistlebury Manor joining their coven were now dashed.

Garnier beamed at me triumphantly. I wanted to hit him and wipe away the excited smirk on his face. Even if he didn’t know or feel anything about these women, he knew as well as I did what would become of them should they be found guilty. I couldn’t understand anyone enjoying such a prospect. I glared at him, but he didn’t seem to understand my anger.

Our hiding place gave us a perfect view of everything. It had been a good choice, I thought miserably. We watched silently as the women gathered sticks, chatted amiably and lit a small fire. Then, taking one of the sticks they hadn’t used, one of them walked around the fire, dragging the stick in the ground to form a circle.

I couldn’t tear my eyes from Rue and the scene in front of me, fascinated to watch as they set down two candles, each in a small holder, then lit them. Everyone seemed to know exactly what to do without instruction. A stoneware jar was taken from a small sack and a concoction poured into a small basin. It was all very strange.

I tensed as Rue stepped forward and placed two bunches of herbs and then several crystals neatly with the other offerings. I wanted to shout at her to stop. To run away and never come back. But that wouldn’t achieve anything.

An owl hooted, and although the other women continued with their preparations, Rue glanced up into the dark sky and frowned, then looked over in our direction. She stared towards the tree that I was crouching behind. My breath caught in my throat. Why was she staring? Surely if she had seen us, she would warn the others? I saw her eyes moving, but only slightly as she seemed transfixed by what she saw.

It took everything in me to remain absolutely still. All I dared move was my eyes, and even then I felt as if she would spot me doing so. Clouds must have moved and released the bright rays of the moon, which now shone directly on the clearing where the witches were gathered. I realised it must also be shining on the place where we were hiding.

I tensed. Look away, I pleaded silently. Look away.

I breathed a sigh of relief when she finally did so. I don’t know why I was so concerned about her seeing me, because once their spell had been cast I would be quick to make myself known. Why was I hesitating?

I felt Garnier’s gaze on me. ‘Sir, should we go for them now?’

It was a sensible enough question. We had more than enough evidence to arrest all of them.

‘Sir?’

I tensed, not ready to take that step. But I needed a reason for our delay. I whispered, ‘They are in no rush and I want to see exactly what they do first.’

‘Why?’ he asked, clearly confused.

I didn’t answer but recalled Rue’s insistence that their practices were not as I imagined. If that was true then surely now, when she wasn’t aware of my presence, was the perfect time for me to witness exactly what their spells did entail. To see whether they were the evil crones my father had always insisted.